Blake Griffin Injury: Updates on Clippers Star's Quad, Hand and Return

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin suffered a quad injury in the Christmas Day win over the Los Angeles Lakers and has not played since. He reportedly suffered what is feared to be a broken hand in an unspecified incident. It's unclear when he will return to the floor.

Continue for updates.

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Griffin Injured in 'Team-Related Incident'

Monday, Jan. 25

Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported sources said "Griffin has suffered [a] suspected broken hand in [an] undisclosed team-related incident."

Griffin left the Clippers, who are on a five-game road trip, after suffering a "hand injury that was unrelated to the quad injury," according to Stein and Shelburne. The team is "still evaluating" the injury to determine the severity, per Stein and Shelburne. The Clippers have two games remaining on their trip before returning to Los Angeles.

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Griffin Comments on Recovery Timeline

Friday, Jan. 15

Griffin said he "hopes to return on Clippers' five-game trip," per Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Griffin also added that "he had resumed some on-court activities Thursday and had no soreness today," per Bolch.

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Rivers Comments on Griffin's Recovery

Sunday, Jan. 10

“He has yet to run, I mean, like really run,” Rivers revealed, per Morales. “I think he’s going to start doing that, hopefully, soon. Once he runs, how does he feel? Is there a setback? These things, they have their own little way of healing.”

Morales did note, however, that Griffin has run on a treadmill.

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Griffin Vital to Clippers' Postseason Hopes

A bastion of health for most of his career—he hadn't missed more than two games in a season since missing his entire rookie year due to knee surgery—Griffin was limited to 67 games last season due to a staph infection in his right elbow. 

The issue ultimately didn't damage the Clippers' playoff standing, but Griffin is obviously one of the team's two most important players. Chris Paul was in the lineup for all 82 games last season, an anomaly Doc Rivers and Co. can't count on given his recurrent knee problems. Keeping Paul healthy with Griffin out will be integral to the Clips. 

The Clippers don't move the ball as well, score near the basket as often or even defend as well with Griffin off the floor. The team will have its fingers crossed that Griffin will be given the OK to return in two weeks.

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